Operating mechanism for fluorescent lamps



1942- F. c. DE REAMER ET AL 2,292,060

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Filed June 20, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. I.

Pig. 2.

CC Ace. mm w "mam r mRC Wm nmw t e. JA VCF Tmkm .m n e 1 AF A s- 1942-F. c. DE REAMER ETAL 2,292,060

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Filed June 20, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 2 22 z/ Inventors: Frank C. De Reamer; APChUI" WClauder; Iy b M44 AMI-M V Them Attorney.

'26, 1940, to Frederick C. the same assignee as the instant application.

Patented Aug. 4, 1942 oraaarnvo an:

CHANISM POD FLUORESCENT LAMPS Frank C. De Reamer, and Arthur W.

Bridgeport, Coma. animal-Ito General Claudee.

Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 20, 1941,Serial No. 398,888

3Cla-lms.

Our invention relates to an operating mechanism for electric dischargelamps and more particularly to an operating mechanism for fluorescentlamps of the type now in commercial use.

It is an object of our invention to provide an improved operatingmechanism for fluorescent lamps in which a lamp holder for the lamp isprovided with an associated socket for mounting the lamp starting switchin juxtaposition with the lamp. I

It is a further object of our invention to provide an improved lampholder which may or may not be employed with a starting switch socketfor fluorescent lamps but which is compact in size and which may be usedin confined space.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates a fluorescent lampmounted at each end in lamp holders our invention;

constructed in accordance with Fig. 2.is a plan view of our lamp holdercombined with a socket; Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the device ofFig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view partly in section, looking at the bottom of thedevice of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a front view of our lamp holder showing thecontact arrangement; Fig, 6 is a plan view of our lamp holder for theother end of the lamp in which the starter socket has been omitted; Fig.7 is a sectional view of the lamp holder of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a view ofthe underside of the lamp holder of Figs. 5 and 6; Fig. 9 is an explodedview of the combined lamp holder and starter socket shown by Figs. 2 to4, inclusive; Fig. 10 is an exploded view of the lamp holder shown byFigs. 5 to 7, inclusive; Fig. 11 is a view of the interior of the lampholder of Fig. 2, and Fig. 12 is a view of the interior of the lampholder of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, we have shown a fluorescent lamp I 5 mountedby means of contact pins at opposite ends in lamp holders I 6 and II,respectively, which are of the general type disclosed in Patent2,223,166, issued November Dazley and assigned to Both of the lampholders l6 and I! are mounted on a supporting surface l6 which may formpart of the reflecting surface of a lighting fixture. The left hand lampholder I 6 is provided with a socket IQ for a. starting switch 20 whichis used to initiate an electric discharge between the cathodes of thelamp in a manner well known in the art. The general arrangement of alamp holder provided with a socket for mounting a starting switch isdisclosed in the copending application of Ward Harrison, Serial No.309,712, filed December 18, 1939, and assigned to the same assignee asthe instant application. Since only one starting switch is required foreach lamp, the right hand lamp holder I1 is not provided with a socketfor a starting switch but instead is provided with an extending portion2| which cooperates with the reflecting surface II in a manner to bedescribed later. The left hand lamp holder l6 and starting socket willnow be described particularly with reference to Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive,9 and 11 g As aforementioned, the lamp holdersare constructed similar incertain respects to the one described in the Dazley Patent 2,223,166.The lamp holder I6 comprises a casing of any suitable insulatingmaterial such as a molded plastic, provided with an extending portion 22and a base portion 23 extending at right angles thereto. The rear faceof the extension 22 is provided with a recess 24. In the opposite frontface of the housing a groove 26 is formed which extends at an angle tothe. vertical axis of the lamp holder. This groove merges with avertical slot 21 extending to the upper edge of the body of the lampholder. As shown most clearly by Fig. 11, spaced contact members 26 and29 are mounted in recess 24 and extend to points adjacent the groove 26where they cooperate with the spaced contact pins 39 and 3| of afluorescent lamp. One of the spaced contact members 26 and 29 is madeflexible, in this case the contact member 29, so that the spaced contactpins of the fluorescent lamp may be moved in a straight line at rightangles to the axis of the lamp through the slot 21 into the groove 26where the contact blade 29 is moved downwardly by engagement with thelamp. pin 36 to permit the other'contact pin to slip into engagementwith the fixed contact member 28. The resiliency of the contact blade 29now holds seated engagement with the contacts.

The movable contact member or blade 29 is formed of any suitable springmaterial,-such as spring bronze; it is provided with a U-shaped portion32 which is located in the recess 24 between the base 23 of the housingand an abutment 33. A portion of the flexible blade extends outwardly atan angle to the U-shaped portion, as shown at 34, for engaging thecontact pin 36 of the lamp in the manner aforementioned. At its otherend, the contact blade is secured in any suitable manner, such as byspot welding, to a U-shaped terminal clip 35. This terminal clip islocated in a slot 36 extending inwardly from the rear face of thehousing base 23. The arm lamp holder of the U-shaped clip secured to thecontact blade the lamp pins in The vertical arm 39 of the L is formedwith an ofiset portion 40 at one end which in turn is provided with acontact surface 4| for engaging the lamp contact pin 3|. The offsetportion 40 of the L-shaped contact member is spaced from the contactblade 29 so that an air gap separates these two contact members. Ahorizontal portion 42 of the L-shaped member extends outwardly in arecess 43 formed in the base 23 and at its outer end is bent downwardly,as shown at 44 for engagement with a contact member of the startersocket in a manner now to be described.

The starter socket is comprises a base 45 of any suitable insulatingmaterial, such as a molded plastic, in which is provided receptaclemeans for receiving the starting switch. The receptacle means includesan annular recess 46 in the upper surface of the base, the bottom of therecess being provided with concentrically arranged keyhole slots 41 forreceiving the spaced contact pins 48 of the starting switch. Cooperatingwith the keyhole slots in engaging the starter contact pins are flexiblecontact members 49 and 40. These contact members are formed of anysuitable spring material, for example, spring bronze wire. They areprovided with projections which extend into the planes ofthe keyholeslots and maintain the starter contact pins in locked position in thenarrower portions of the slots, in the manner shown by Fig. 4. Thestarter switch 20 is mounted on the socket simply by inserting thecontact pins 48 into the enlarged portions of the keyhole slots androtating the starter to snap the pins past he projections 5| into thenarrower portions of the sics.

The socket contact member 49 is connected at one end in any suitablemanner, as by spot welding, to the bent extension 44 of the lamp holdercontact 29 while the contact member 50 is connected in a similar mannerto'an angular terminal plate 52 p ovided with a terminal screw 53 forconnection to an electric circuit; In this manner,

the starting switch is placed in series with one.

of the lamp holders for connection into the lamp operating circuit in amanner well known in the art. Each of the contact members 49 and restsin recesses 54 formed in the bottom of the socket housing, the recessesbeing closed by a cover plate 55 of insulating material, such as'sheetfiber.

Referring to Fig. 9, the angularly shaped terminal plate 52 is formed ofrelatively heavy sheet metal and is provided with a laterally extendingarm 56 to which the contact member 50 is fastened in the manneraforementioned. That portion of the plate in whichthe terminal screw-53is mounted is bent at right angles, as shown at 51, so that the terminalscrew is accessible from beneath the socket housing. The arm'56 rests ina groove 58 formed in the upper wall of a recess 59 shaped by twoopposed extensions 60 and 6| which depend from the bottom of thehousing. In order to facilitate wiring to the terminal screw 53, theextension 60 is provided with a groove 62 for receiving a circuit wire.In addition to closing the recesses 54, the cover plate 55 holds theterminal plate 52 in assembled position by hearing on the lateral arm55, as shown in Fig. 4. The plate is formed with a slot 63'whichreceives the extensions 60 and 6|. Anangularly shaped piece ofinsulating material 64 is disposed between the arm 56 and the coverplate for protecting the electrical connection at th terminal plate. Tothis end, the insulating. piece is formed with opposed arms the purposeof v 65 held in position between the cover plate and the arm 56 and anupstanding lip 66 which extends along side the terminal screw 53. Thearms 65 straddle one of the drive pins 61 which secure the cover plateto the socket base.

The socket housing 45 is provided at one end with .a lateral extension68 which is adapted to overlie the base 23 of the lampholder. In thisway, the startersocket and lamp holder are joined into a unitary device.A closure plate 69 of insulating material, such as sheet fiber, isprovided for the recess 24 in the body of the lamp holder; the closureplate is fastened between the starter socket and the lamp holder and isdesigned to fit into a rabbeted edge 10 of the wall of the recess 24.For holding the closure plate securely in position, it is formed withatongue 1! which extends into the slot 35 in assembled position and alsowith an opening I2 which receives a boss 13 projecting from theextension 68.

The socket housing and lamp holder are held together in assembledrelationship by a suitable fastening means, in this case, a hollow rivetI l. At one end, the rivet is provided with a poiygonally shaped head 15seated in a corresponding recess 16 in theupper face of the extension 68while at. the other end it extends through an opening ii in the coverplate and is peened over thereon, as shown at It. In order to receive afastening screw the rivet is internally threaded as shown at 19.

An angularly shaped piece of insulating material 80, such as sheetfiber, is used to protect the terminal connection at the screw 31. Tothis end, the insulating piece is formed with lateral arms 8| which spanthe rivet 14 and which are clamped.

between the cover plate 55 and the base; it is also formed with anupstanding lip 82 which extends along side the screw 31. The terminal 3]extends into the aforementioned recess 38 which is formed by adownwardly extending projection 83 of generally rectangular form, asshown by Fig. 4. Three sides of the projection enclose the head of theterminal screw while the fourth side is formed by the lip 82. To assistin holding the starter socket and lamp holder inassembled relationship,the cover plate 55 is provided with notches 84 in its opposite edgeswhich receive an edge bead 85 formed on the base of the lamp holder;this prevents the holding rivet 14 from sliding laterally out of theslot 36 in the lamp holder base.

The structure thus far described provides a combined lamp holder andstarter socket for supporting one end of the lamp. Since only a singlestarting switch is required for each lamp, the starter socket has beenomitted from the right hand lamp holder I1 and has been replaced with aterminal housing which is of the same general contour as the startersocket and which gives the lamp holder a pleasing appearance.

Since the contact pins of the lamp are in alignment at opposite ends,and since the lamp holder |l faces the lamp holder IS, the arrangementof the contacts and guide slot in the lamp holder I! will be reversedfrom the arrangement in the lampholder l5. This is necessary so that thegrooves 26 will slope in the same direction when the lamp holders faceeach other. Except for the reversed arrangement of the parts, the lampholder I1 is the same as the lamp holder I6 so that correspondingelements will be referred to by the same reference numerals with theaddition of a prime and only so much of the arrangement will bedescribed as is necessary to complete the structure.

The lamp holder l1 comprises a housing having an extension 22 and a base28', the extension'being provided with a recess 24' extending inwardlyfrom a rear face thereof. In the opposite face, the extension isformed-with an angularly arranged groove 28' which merges with a slot2'! extending to an edge of the housing. The lamp contact pins areinserted in the groove in the manner aforementioned and cooperate withspaced contact members 28' and 28'.

The contact member 28' is formed of flexible spring material the same asthe member 28 and is shaped with a U-bend at 82', one end of which issecured in any suitable manner to a U-shaped terminal plate 35'. Theterminal plate 85 rests in the slot 88 and is provided with a terminalscrew 31' extending into a recess 88'. This recess is formed by anextension of the housing 83' the same as in the left hand lamp holderii. The other contact member 28' while provided with the lateralextension 42' is not connected to a starter socket contact; rather it isprovided with a separate terminal means. To this end, the arm 42 isformed with an offset portion 86 the end of which extends downwardly atan angle, as shown at 81, to provide a terminal plate for receiving aterminal screw 88. By this arrangement, the terminal screws 88 and 31are in alignment.

The housing for the terminal comprises a member 88 of insulatingmaterial, the member being provided at one end with a lateral extension68' corresponding to the extension on the starter socket. The extensionoverlies the base 23' of the lamp holder and is secured in position by asuitable fastening means such as the rivet 14'. This assembly holds aclosure plate 88' over the recess 24". In assembled position theterminal portion of the contact member 28' and the terminal screw 88rest in a recess 88 in the housing 88, the recess being formed by aprojection 8| extending from the bottom of the housing. A cover plate 82is provided to close the interior of the assembly and is held inposition by the rivet 14' which passes through an opening 83. Disposedbetween the cover plate 82 and the wall of the terminal housing is aU-shaped insulating member 84 of sheet fiber, or the like. Theinsulating member is provided with an opening 88 for receiving thefastening rivet l4 and opposite arms of the U form downwardly extendinglips 88 and 81, one being disposed on each of opposite sides of thecover plate 82, as shown by Figs. '7 and 8. Three sides of the recess88, which receives the terminal screw 88, are formed by the walls of theextension 8i while the fourth side is formed by the lip 88. Similarly,the lip 81 forms the fourth closing wall of the recess 88', theremaining walls being formed bydepending projection 88'. In order toprevent the fastening rivet I4 from being pulled laterally out of theslot 88', the cover plate 82 is formed in opposite sides with notches 88which receive a bead l8 upstanding from the lamp holder base. Since thisbead is locked in the notches 88 and since the rivet I4 is fastened ..tothe-extension 88', the base of spaced openings for receiving theprojections 88 and 88, as shown by Fig. 1. The assembly may the lampholder cannot be pulled away from these elements.

To mount the combined lamp holder l8 and m l8, the reflector baseiaprovided with be fastened in position by a screw (not shown) threadedinto the hollow rivet ll. The projections serve to position the assemblyon the base and prevent it from turning out of alignment with the otherlamp holder. Similarly, the other lamp holder l6 and terminal housing iiare mounted on the base by inserting the projections 83 and 8| insuitable openings in the base and fastening the assembly in position.

Our lamp holder is one in which the overall size of the housing has beenreduced and in which provision has been made to directly connect thestarter socket to the lamp holder. 'This means that the assembly is welladapted for use in lighting fixtures where there is a minimum ofavailable space.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is:

1. A socket for use with a lamp having spaced contact pins comprising,in combination, a housing of insulating material having an extensionprovided with a recess and a base extending at an angle thereto providedwith a groove, spaced contact members in the recess for engaging thelamp pins. one of said contact members having a terminal seated in saidgroove, the other contact member having a portion extending beyond theconfines of said base, a housing of insulating material for saidlast-mentioned portion having projection and groove for securing theprojection to said base.

2. A socket for use with a lamp having spaced contact pins comprising,in combination, a housing of insulating material having an extensionprovided with a recess and a base extending at an angle thereto providedwith a groove, spaced contact members in the recess for engaging thelamp pins, one of the contact members having a terminal seated in thegroove, the other contact member having a portion extending beyond theconfines of said base, a housing of insulating material for saidlast-mentioned portion having a projection overlying said base andgroove, a closure plate for said recess having a tongue seated in saidgroove, said projection engaging said closure plate to hold it inposition, and a fastening pin extending through the projection andgroove for securing the projection to said base.

3. In a socket for use with a lamp having spaced contact pins, a housingof insulating material having a recess therein and a groove merging withsaid recess and extending to an edge of the housing for receiving thelamp contact pins, a flexible U-shaped contact member seated in saidrecess and having a portion adjacent the groove for engaging one of thelamp pins, an angular contact member, one arm of the angle beingdisposed in said recess and having an oiiset portion adjacent the groovefor engagingthe other lamp pin, the other arm of the angle extendingoutside the recess and a closure plate for said recess.

IRANK C. DE READER.

ARTHUR W. GLAUDIR.

